When You're Not Looking
by Avidreader1993
Summary: They usually say that you find love when your not looking for it..what if you thought that you already had love with someone. Lara's life changes after horrific events but making a documentary just might give Lara the closure she needs in more ways than one. What will she do when she meets her match but who is her complete opposite? Lara and Sam do not know each other at all.
1. Chapter 1

_Here is my new story. The Hidden Journal will not be deleted but will be moved to the back burner and when I feel that I've found my storyline again I will try to start it up but no promises. Thank you for all your feedback and support guys, it really helped. _

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_Lara…you didn't fail me. You did everything right…I…I just can't go on anymore…_

My eyes shot open instantly to the sight of my bedside clock flashing 8:00 A.M; the words from my dream…nightmare was still echoing in my head. It has become a routine; one that I have perfected. Once the words start to form my body would react and I'd wake up before the image that goes with the words starts to appear.

I kept my head pressed into my pillow and just stared at the red numbers; I could feel the sweat that had formed on my skin start to cool causing me to shiver under my t-shirt and sweatpants. I knew I should get up and out of bed but I just couldn't…this…this nightmare had become more insistent; it refused to go away. I could handle the other ones…but this one…

My head shot up when I heard the sound of the kettle whistling; as far as I was aware I was the only one in the apartment. As I pulled the sheets off my body and sat up I heard the whistling cease; I grabbed my sweater and walked out of the bedroom.

I was greeted to the sight of a young blonde's back.

"I didn't hear you come in last night?" I said to the blonde. "I got in an hour ago," she replied still facing away from me. I took in the clothes she was wearing; they were the ones she was wearing yesterday. A pair of blue jeans, a black shirt and a gray zip up sweater.

"Oh…"

"Do you want a cup?" she asked although she had already pulled out two cups and was pouring water in them both.

"Yes…thank you." I walked further into the small kitchen and took a seat at the slightly wobbly circular table in the middle of the kitchen. I sat there awkwardly and just twiddled my thumbs together; I wasn't sure of what to say.

"Did you stay at Cory's last night?" I asked. I heard her sigh before she answered, "Yes." I nodded my head and went back to twiddling my thumbs.

I glanced up when I heard her place the spoon on the counter. Finally…she turned to face me but she wouldn't look at me. She wouldn't grace me with her grey eyes; instead she just handed me my tea, took a seat across from me and quickly separated my view of her with the pages of the morning paper.

I wanted to say something but I was distracted by the date in the corner on the paper, March 26, 2014. I felt my throat tighten and my heart beat a little faster; I hadn't realize just how fast this day would come; I had been trying to avoid the inevitable.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard the front door slam shut but I didn't take my eyes away from the paper; I already knew who it was; there is only one person who would just walk into my house without knocking.

"Walker…" I could hear the annoyance in her voice. The date was taken from my line of sight when the paper was placed back onto the table.

"Come on…I'd would have thought that we would be on first name bases by now…Amanda," I could hear Alex's words dripping with sarcasm. I turned to look at my house guest to give her a look saying 'don't start'.

Green eyes met mine and instantly rolled but I knew she got the message when she walked over to the lonesome coffee maker that only got used by her and began to make coffee.

"I'm going out," Amanda stated as she got up and dumped her tea in the sink. I pushed my chair back and stood up, "You just got home…" I pointed out.

"I have research to do," she said. I ran my hand through my hair in frustration making it more of a mess than it already was and let out a quiet sigh. Amanda walked into our bedroom and came out with a small bag that I knew was probably full of clothes.

"The library closes early tonight," I informed her. We both knew I was pointing out that there was no reason for her to not be able to come home tonight since using the 'staying late at the library' excuse wouldn't work.

"Enjoy your day," she dismissed me. She threw the straps of the duffel bag over her shoulders and surprised me with a quick peck on the lips before walking out the front door. I stared after the door with the small hope that she would come back through it but I knew that wasn't gonna happen; it was wishful thinking.

"Did she actually come home last night?" Alex asked. I looked over at her, "Don't," I warned her. Alex held up both hands in surrender. I glared at her for a few seconds before she turned around and started to pour her coffee. I took a seat and watched my lifelong friend…my non blood related sister.

She was a stunning woman but had an edge to her that demanded respect from people. She was 6'3" and well-toned. Much more fit than me but not in the gross body building way; just enough to make women envious and fit men feel bad about their bodies. She had short black hair that hung just a little over her ears, a strong squared jaw line and dark green eyes that had flecks of light green around the edges.

She had no problem getting attention and when we were younger she had a knack for getting straight women to go home with her for the night; of course the American accent helped with that. She was two years older than me but I tended to be more mature and defiantly had more patience than her. She was currently wearing a pair of black training sweatpants and a long sleeve green shirt that said Army across the chest. If it wasn't for her boobs and soft facial features she could easily pull off being a guy.

"When you going to ditch her?"

I gave her the finger as my response. She shook her head and occupied the seat that Amanda had previously vacant. "I'm serious…when are you going to say enough is enough?" she asked again.

"Alex…please. Not today," I whined. I really didn't want to talk about my practically distant relationship with my girlfriend of three years.

"Whatever Lara…you know how I feel about her," she said. She leaned back in her chair and took a sip of her coffee while scanning me with her eyes.

"I worked a late shift last night," I told her but I knew she could see right through the lie and knew that nightmares were the reason for my messy tired appearance. I let my eyes slide over to the large scar on the right side of her face that was still very visible even after 8 month. I quickly looked away but I was already seeing the other scars that were hidden under her clothes that almost matched the ones that were hidden under mine.

"Yeah…" I heard her mutter. I could feel her eyes boring into the side of my head but I didn't want to look at them…not today.

"Why are you here?" I asked in an attempt to change the atmosphere that had started to form.

"Well…I'm dragging you to the gym with me but I really came over here to tell you that we are going out tonight," she said. I raised an eyebrow at her, "Who's we?" I asked.

"You know exactly who we is," she replied. I smiled at her and let out a small chuckle, "I thought Wednesdays were yours and Rebecca's date night?"

"She left this morning," Alex said. I was confused at first but then I remembered what Alex had told me a week ago, "I thought she was leaving tomorrow for the states?"

"Nope…today. Besides even if she wasn't going to visit her grandfather I think she would be understanding as to why date night would be cancelled tonight," Alex pointed out. I sighed in defeat, "And where are you guys taking me?" I asked.

"Can't tell you," Alex simply stated.

"Come on," I begged. Alex shook her head at me and I gave her a childish pout. "Fine," she started, "we are taking you to a pub to get you laid," she said. My smile fell and I gave her the finger before getting up and placing my empty tea cup in the sink.

Alex chuckled and twisted in her seat, "What? Can you honestly tell me you remember when you guys last had sex." She was pushing my buttons. I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms, "What does it matter to you," I snapped.

Alex rolled her eyes, "Lara-"

"No…stop. We are going through a rough patch; every relationship goes through it," I pointed out. Alex stood up and leaned against the table so she could face me fully.

"This isn't a rough patch…this is her being a selfish bitch," Alex snapped. I could feel the tension rise in the room; Alex didn't like Amanda from the start but she defiantly didn't like her even more as of recently

"Don't call her that…" I growled.

"She wants you to do something that will cause you more pain than what you are already going through and for what? What reason does she have to want you to do that?" She argued.

"She is anthologist…" I said as if that would explain everything.

"Please anthropologist or not there is no reason…if she really cared she would have never asked and she certainly wouldn't be throwing a fit about you refusing," Alex exclaimed. I wanted to say something but I clamped up; I hated to admit it but Alex was right.

I placed my head in my hands and rubbed my eyes with the palm of my hands. I didn't hear Alex move but I felt her place her arms around my shoulders. "I didn't come here to argue with you…I came here to drag your ass out of the house and to a gym. I don't want you getting flabby," she joked. I let out a snort and pushed her.

"Please…I'm fairly sure that I am catching up to you," I joked. Alex waved her hand at me, "You wish, Croft." She walked into the sitting room and turned the T.V. on while I walked into the bedroom to change.

Shuffling around in my closest I was growing frustrated because I couldn't find my University of Cambridge pullover and I had this really strong urge to wear it tonight. I could wear another sweater but it felt right to wear my old university one. I glanced at my clock and saw that I had five minutes to find the sweater, brush my teeth and put my sneakers on before the two people who are very funny about time show up at my apartment.

I had almost given up when I caught a glimpse of it between Amanda's clothes. "Got ya," I muttered as I quickly pulled it over my head and rushed into the bathroom. I was mid brush when I heard Alex's voice, "Croft?"

I poked my head out of the bathroom with my toothbrush still in my mouth and held up my index finger before going back into the bathroom and spitting out the toothpaste.

"She is always making us wait," I heard Alex complain. I heard a deep chuckle, "No…we just happen to always be either early or right on the dot," a deeper voice said. I wiped my mouth on my towel and walked out of the bathroom. My face lite up when I saw the guy who was with Alex and without hesitation I ran up to him and hugged him. His strong arms hugged me back tightly.

"Lara…" he whispered.

"Thomas, it's good to see you."

I released my grip on him and took a step back to smile fondly at the man I considered my big brother and who was actually Alex's brother. Seeing them stand next to each other most people thought they were twin and they practically could be except Thomas was 27, was three inches taller than Alex and had one green eye and one blue eye. Plus he was also more level headed than his sister.

"How long are you in London for?" I asked him. Unlike his sister, Thomas didn't live in England; he lived in Boston where the two grew up.

"For a few months," he replied.

"Great…my sex life just decreased to, maybe if I'm lucky, once a week," Alex complained. Thomas gave her a slight shove, "Just think you get to see your favorite brother though," Thomas mocked.

"Wonderful…hang out with annoying brother for a few months or have great sex with beautiful girlfriend three to four times a week? Umm…let's see I'd prefer the latter of the two," Alex informed.

"Just send him over here when you want to have sex…" I said. I walked over to my hallway closet and grabbed my sneakers.

"That won't work because Rebecca will feel guilty and all that shit and she won't give me sex…" Alex whined.

"Awww poor baby and besides she is going to be gone for two weeks anyways," Thomas mocked while he placed his large hands on either side of Alex's face.

"Get stuffed," Alex muttered. I laughed; there was never a dull moment with them. It was always a good time when we got together and there was always constant bickering. I know that by the end of the night I will be part of the bickering too.

Alright you two…where are we going?" I asked after my sneakers were tied.

The apartment went quiet but judging by the looks that pass through Alex and Thomas's eyes I knew they were thinking of the same place I was thinking of. The one place that would be perfect for tonight; The Drunken Tavern.

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Side note... IAA does not exist in this story. Thomas is just a regular solider. Review...


	2. Chapter 2

The Tavern was located in the heart of London meaning it was about a 15 minute walk from my flat so we decided to walk there. Of course it being England it started to rain on us when we were about half way there. And it didn't just sprinkle it down poured and we all only wearing sweaters; by the time we got to the rustic pub we were soaked.

"Look what the rain dragged in," we heard when we walked through the door. It was the barman and owner of the pub, John. He had a large grin on his face and reached down under the counter to grab a dry towel to toss to us. We each took turns rubbing the water out of hair before we took a seat at the bar.

"I was hoping to see you guys tonight…" he stated as he placed eight shot glasses on the bar and began to pour Crown Royal whiskey in them. He put the fancy looking bottle back and then turned to face us again. He lifted one of the glasses to us, "A shot for us and a shot for him…"

Looked over at Thomas and Alex and saw the sad smile appear on their faces before they too picked up one of the glasses. I looked down at the two of mine and took a deep breath before grabbing mine and lifting it to the air to mirror the actions of the others.

"Happy Birthday, Roth…" Thomas toasted. I clenched my jaw to keep the tears from spilling over and just clinked my glass with everyone else's before drowning the sharp tasting alcohol. I welcomed the burn of the whiskey traveling down my throat and didn't hesitate to down the second one.

"What are you fancying lass?" John asked me when the glasses were all empty. "Guinness, please," I answered. It felt right to drink Roth's usual; Thomas and Alex must have felt the same way because they ordered the same thing.

"On the house tonight…" John told us when he dropped off the drinks and moved away to attend a new customer.

"This was the right place to come…"Alex commented. Thomas and I just nodded our head in agreement. This was Roth's favorite place to hang out; he and John went way back. They hung out when they were teenagers and Roth even helped John come up with the name for his bar. If we couldn't get in touch with Roth then we knew right away where we could find him. I honestly believed that Roth loved this place a little more than he loved his ship.

That thought brought a chuckle through my lips. I glanced up and saw Thomas and Alex looking at me with curiosity. "I sometimes believed Roth loved this place more than his ship," I told them. Alex let out a smirk and Thomas laughed, "I wouldn't have been surprised," Thomas said.

Alex held up her glass for another toast, "To Roth…where ever he may be raging hell," she said. "Swooning the ladies," Thomas added as he lifted his. "And cursing Man U as they lose," I finished rising my glass.

We drank for the next hour in mostly silence; occasionally John would come over but it was fairly busy in the pub so he was mostly occupied with other customers.

I was lost in thought when I felt my arm get nudged. I turned my attention to Thomas, "So…any thoughts on the phone call you were telling me about a few weeks ago?"

I had almost completely forgotten about the saved message on my cell phone that I had gotten two weeks ago. I placed my third Guinness on the table, "I don't know…I am still twisted about whether to do it or not," I admitted.

"They are only asking about the artifacts right?" Alex asked. "Yeah…I mean they said that if I was interested they would go over what they were looking for and see if I wanted to go from there," I repeated what the message had said.

"A documentary? Sounds interesting," Thomas said. "It would be a great way to tell people of the new information and history that you discovered," he pointed out.

"I don't know if I'm ready," I said but that wasn't the real reason I was hesitating on calling back.

"There is a difference…" Thomas said.

"Pardon?"

"They want a documentary on the artifacts…so far their not asking you to go back to the island," Thomas commented. I looked away from him…he had read right through my lie.

"I don't see how talking about it is any different than going to the island," I muttered.

"Please…it's a major difference and you know it," Alex said.

"You just said that so far they are only asking about the artifacts and not about what happened so right there is a major difference. And speaking from personal experience I'd rather talk about the shit that happened in Iraq than go back there and relive the moments of watching my friends die so I'd assume it would be the same for you," Thomas logically pointed out.

"Lara…I still have a hard time talking about it but talking about it is a hundred times better than going back to that fucking island. I still think you're mad to be worrying about whether or not Amanda is going to be mad at you for doing a documentary rather than going back to the island," Alex said.

"Has she even asked you what happened on the island?" Thomas asked. I was about to take a sip of my beer when I froze. Thinking about it I realized that in the eight months from when I got off the rescue ship Amanda had not once asked me what had happened on the island or if I wanted to talk about it. She didn't mention anything about the island until a few months ago when she came out one night and asked me if I would go back to the island.

I remember that night clearly…I hadn't even thought about; I just answered with a flat out no. There was no way I going back to the place that took my friends…that took Roth. It was by that point that Amanda had stopped sleeping in the bed with me due to my nightmares keeping her up at night.

"You're kidding me right? She hasn't even asked you? What does she think of the nightmares?" Alex asked me in one breath.

"I don't know," I answered truthful. Amanda didn't say anything about them; she just changed her sleeping location.

"Bitch…" Alex muttered

"Stop," Thomas hissed at her before turning in his stool to face me fully. "The choice of the documentary is up to you…If you don't want to talk about what happened on the island then tell them that. Tell them you only want to talk about the artifacts but I think it is worth a try to call them and see what they are looking for," Thomas suggested.

"I'll think about it," I said. Thomas grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze, "If you want to talk…you have us," he offered. I gave him a smile. He wasn't on the island but he had done three tours in Iraq and had seen his fair amount of shit.

"I know," I said and squeezed his hand back. I looked over his shoulder at Alex; she gave me a wink and held up her glass. Alex had been on the island…she was there when Roth was killed but for some reason I couldn't talk to her about it. I mean we talked a little but…I needed to be held in a different way; a way that Alex couldn't give me…a way that Alex got from Rebecca. I looked at the two soldiers in front of me and felt a little less lonely…they were my family.

"Alright…we got her pissed. Let's move onto the next part of the night…" Alex said breaking the emotional moment.

"Excuse me?" I gave them both a questioning look. Thomas smiled and Alex had a smirk on her face. "Oh…no. Whatever it is…it's no," I quickly said. Thomas got up after finishing off his beer; he placed twenty pounds on the bar. "John…we're heading out," he said. John came over and grabbed the twenty, "It's on the house," he repeated his earlier words.

"I know…that's the tip," Thomas said. Alex also finished her beer and got up; she came over to me and clapped my shoulder, "Finish up, Croft," she said.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"You're just going to have to wait and find out," she replied. "I don't know…John do you think I should trust them?" I asked the barman. The older man laughed, "Do you want the truth?" he joked. I rolled my eyes before draining my beer.

We waved to John and walked out of the bar. I had a slight buzz but was still steady on my feet and I was very happy to see that the rain had stopped.

We had walked for about ten minutes when Thomas told me to close my eyes. I looked at him, "You're joking right? I don't not trust you guys to lead me anywhere," to admitted to him.

"Just close them," he repeated. I glared at him for a few seconds before letting my eyes flutter shut, "Please don't let me walk into a pole," I said.

"Nah…I'll just let you walk into a pothole instead," I heard Alex say when she grabbed hold of my shoulders and started to push me forward.

I wasn't sure how long we walked for but I was kind of getting impatient and it really sucked not being able to see where you were going, "are we there yet?" I whined. I didn't get an answer but I felt Alex slow me down and turn me to the left. "Step your right foot up," she ordered. I did as I was told and followed it with my left. I could hear the jingle of a bell meaning that we were walking into a building.

"Can I open them now?"

"Not yet," Thomas's deep voice said. Alex pushed me down into a seat and I could hear muffled voice but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Alright Lara…open up," Alex said. I opened my eyes and let them adjust to the bright lite room. It took me a few seconds to notice the drawings on the walls and the large sliding poster with drawings on them hanging on the one side of the room.

"A tattoo parlor?" I asked. I moved my eyes over to Thomas and Alex and saw three people standing behind them. Two of them were males and the other was an attractive female. The males had a bunch of tattoos but I could only see three tattoos on the arm of the female.

"We had an idea," Alex started. "I got a picture of Roth's dog tags before you gave the tags to Reyes and I thought maybe we could get matching tattoos," Thomas finished. I smiled at them and didn't hesitate to nod my head; it was a perfect tattoo for me.

"Yay!" Alex exclaimed.

"Sounds good," the female said as she came up to me. "I'll be doing you…" she said. I couldn't help but blush at the words. My mine went completely into the gutter but I was pretty sure she was hoping for that judging by her smile.

"How are you guys getting yours done?" I asked.

"I'm gonna have mine look as if it is hanging from my skin on my right bicep," Alex said. "Mine is going to be tangled between the American and England flag," Thomas said.

"I'm not sure how I want mine," I confessed. The attractive female grabbed a large book and placed it on my lap, "Take a look and see if any ideas pop into your head," she said.

"We're gonna get started with ours," Alex said. "But don't worry we will all be in the same room so we will get to see you cry like a baby."

"Piss off," I said before looking down and flipping through the pages of the tattoo books. A lot of the tattoos were nice but I wanted to find something that showed me too. I was almost to the end of the page when something caught my eye; it was a knife with a carving in it. The part that caught my eyes was the knife…couldn't stop the flashbacks of Yamatai from coming. I was instantly brought back to the moment I used my fist weapon on Yamatai.

I closed the book and grabbed my phone. As I got up and walked to the female I clicked on the picture I wanted to show her. "Can you draw the tags wrapping those together?" I asked when I finally reached her. She grabbed my phone and stared at it for a few seconds, "do you only want one or a bunch?" she asked.

"Just one will do," I answered. Her blue eyes locked on mine, "Where do you want it?" I smirked at her, it was another loaded question. "On the right side of my ribs," I said.

It only took her a few minutes to draw up the picture and tweak it to my liking before we were heading into the room where Alex and Thomas were already getting theirs done.

"What are you getting?" Thomas asked when I walked in. "You will see when it finished," I replied.

"So secretive…" Alex mocked. The female, Sarah was her name, gestured to one of the tables. "I'm gonna need you to take your shirt off too," she instructed me.

I took a seat on the cool cushioned table and lifted my sweater and t-shirt over my head leaving me in my black sports bra.

Sarah looked over at me when I lay down and I saw her trail her eyes over my torso and arms. I became a little self-conscious since my scars were still very visible but I quickly realized that she wasn't looking at my scars. "Love a chick with abs," she whispered as she took a seat in the chair in front of me. I blushed once again and turned my gaze to Alex who winked at me.

"Alright…this might hurt a bit but your best bet is to let out steady breaths. If it is too much let me know," Sarah informed me. I heard her turn the needle on and I closed my eyes. I was expecting this enormous amount of pain but I barely felt anything. I wasn't sure if it was because of the alcohol or because pain had become a second nature to me but the only feeling I got was an occasional pinch here and there.

I kept my eyes closed until I heard Alex and Thomas come over and take a seat next to me. "Shit…that looks good," Alex commented. "I like the idea," Thomas muttered.

I wanted to look down but I decided against it; I'd rather see the finish product. "Let me see yours," I said to the two siblings. Thomas stood up first and lifted his shirt before turning around. I could see the tattoo through the see through plastic that was wrapped over it. It was of both the American and England flag tangled together in the middle by the chain of Roth's dog tags and hanging further down were the actually tags.

Thomas put his shirt back on and Alex stood up and just lifted the sleeve of her short sleeve shirt to reveal her tattoo. She only had the dog tag and chain but the chain looked as if it was hanging from her skin since you could only see the sides of the chain and not the top.

"We really have to get more tattoos on you…" Alex said as she took her seat again, "you're completely bare."

"I think one is enough for now," I told her.

"Almost done…just a few more minutes," Sarah informed. I was thankful…my left arm had started to cramp up from being in the same position for so long and plus I was really anxious to see the tattoo.

I watched Sarah turn the needle off and place it on her tray before she took a paper towel and wiped my skin. She applied some ointment and stood up to reach for the mirror, "All set, love," she said as she held the mirror up for me. I sat up and stood; I turned my side towards the mirror and was taken aback by what I saw. It was far better than I expected; she had kept every detail of the bow from the picture I showed her.

I felt the tears form in my eyes as I stared at the tattoo. The first weapon I acquired on the island was the bow and it had gotten me through so much on that island; it felt right to connect it with Roth. I had her tattoo the bow and arrow tangled together at the curve of the bow by the chain of the dog tags with the tags hanging between them. The tattoo was pretty big. The tip of the bow was lined up right at the top of my breast under my armpit while the bottom of it was right at my hip bone. The curve of the bow where the arrow and tags were was more on my ribs and on the edge of my torso while the string of the bow was closer to my back. It was big enough to show all the details of the bow, the arrow and the tags but not big enough to be obnoxious. Also I didn't get color I stuck with black and white with shadowing; I was honestly blow away by it.

"It's…its beautiful. Thank you," I said to Sarah. She smiled at me, "It was my pleasure," she replied.

She put the mirror down and wrapped my tattoo while Alex and Thomas went to pay; they refused to let me pay for mine. I was putting my shirt on when Sarah came up to me and handed me a folded paper, "you probably have a girlfriend but here's my number in the case you don't have one or if you just want to hang out," she said shyly. I took the paper and smiled at her, "Thank you."

Our hands were still touching when we were interrupted by Alex, "Lara com-…Oh shit," she said but the moment was ruined and as much as I would have loved to hang with her I probably wasn't going to because the truth is I did have a girlfriend.

"We all set?" I asked Alex. She nodded her head. I grabbed my sweatshirt and walked past Sarah but not before telling her it was nice to meet her and placing her number in my pocket.

"Don't even…" I said to Alex when we left the building. "She was hot and totally into you," Alex pointed out. "I have a girlfriend," I reminded her.

"That's unfortunate…you could have probably gotten laid tonight," Alex added in.

Thomas pushed Alex forward, "Shut up you," he said. Alex turned around and got into a kung Fu stance, "I'll take you," she threaten. I just laughed at their antics; it was nearly 1 in the morning and I was starting to feel the exhaustion hitting me.

"I'm going home," I said.

Awww…party pooper," Alex said before nearly tripping over a crack in the pavement.

"I think that is a great idea. We'll walk you home and hitch a cab from there," Thomas said as he rolled his eyes at his sister.

We managed to get back to my flat fairly quickly since the tattoo parlor was only a few blocks away. I stayed downstairs with Alex and Thomas until their cab arrived.

"Thank you guys…" I said to them. Alex grabbed me from the shoulders and gave me a hug, "It was a good night and it's nice to know you're not a chicken when it comes to tattoos," she said. She released me and I moved into Thomas's arms, "It was good to see you tonight," I told him.

"You too. Now get some sleep and take it easy with that tattoo," he told me in his big brotherly tone.

"I will…goodnight guys." They got into the back of the cab and I turned to walk up the stairs to my flat. I stuck my key into the lock but didn't turn it; I really didn't want to walk into an empty flat. But I had to suck it up so I took a deep breath and turned the key. I opened the door and walked into the dark apartment; I wasn't surprised to see it empty but I was a little disheartened.

I threw my keys and wallet on the table by the door and made my way to the bedroom. I jumped out of my skin when the sitting room lamp was turned on and a figure stood up from the couch. "I was wondering when you'd be home," she said when she faced me.

"Amanda."


	3. Chapter 3

"I didn't know you'd be home," I said very surprised to see her standing there. Amanda ran her fingers through her long hair, "I know what today is so…" she drifted off. Her eyes met mine and she gave me a timid smile.

"When did you get home?" I asked.

"I've been home a few hours; I was actually about to go to sleep when you walked in," she informed me. "Oh…sorry," I muttered looking down.

"I was going to sleep because I thought you were staying at Alex's but now that you're home…" Amanda let her words hang as she walked up to me. I watched her every step as she came closer to me; I let out a sigh when I felt her breath on cheek.

"How've you been today?" she whispered as her laced our fingers together. I glanced down at our interwoven fingers, "Manageable," I admitted.

"Lara…" she breathed out. I looked up at her as she leaned in closer and our lips met in a small light kiss. She pulled back for a second before leaning in again and this time prolonging the kiss; I felt her fingers release mine and move up to grip the back of my head and deepen the kiss.

I couldn't help the moan that erupted from the back of my throat. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her flush against my body; a decision I quickly regretted.

"Fuck…" I yelped as I broke the kiss and pushed Amanda back. "What?" she asked. She was looking at me confused as I gripped my side gently. I gave her a weak smile before I lifted my sweater and t-shirt over my head in one shot.

"What the hell?" she muttered. Her eyes were solely focused on the new permanent markings on my body. I couldn't read her expression; she just stared at the tattoo.

"Please tell me that isn't real?" she asked me. I bit my lip and just looked at her, "it's real," I confirmed.

"A tattoo…really? I thought you didn't like tattoos?" she questioned. "No…I don't like pointless tattoos," I clarified. Amanda briefly looked up at me before bringing her eyes back down to the fresh ink. She took a step forward and reached out to trial her fingers around the plastic covering the tattoo.

I sucked in a breath as I felt her fingers drift along my body. She moved away from the plastic and brushed them over my stomach causing my abs to flex involuntarily.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the warm touch of her fingers; something that I haven't felt in a long time. I gasped when I felt warm wet lips press into my collarbone and leave kisses up and along my jawline.

"Amanda…" I moaned. She pulled back and I let out a whimper at the loss of her lips but she just gave me a little smirk before grabbing my hand and leading me into our bedroom. My breathing became shallow as she pushed me on to the bed and climbed on top of my lap. She quickly leaned in and pushed our lips into a messy kiss; I gripped her thighs as the heat between us increased.

Getting sick of just the kissing I wrapped my arms around her tightly before switching our positions so she was under me. I didn't hesitate to push my hands under her shirt and feel up her B cup boobs. Her moan sounded like music to my ears and I bit down on her neck.

"Just take it off…" Amanda groaned breathlessly. She tried to reach her hand between us to grab the hem of her shirt but I just pressed our stomachs closer together, completely ignoring the pain from my freshly drawn on skin.

She gave up trying to reach between us and moved her fingers to claw down my back as I continued to leave marks along her neck and collarbone.

When I felt her thrust her hips up against mine I decided to stop the teasing and reached between us to pull her dark blue shirt off; her grey bra followed soon after. The feel of her soft breast between my fingers caused the heat between my legs to increase by ten. It had been so long since we had even touched each other this close; I couldn't get enough of her.

I brought my lips to the valley of her breast and allowed it to slowly make its way across to the left breast before moving over to the right after leaving a wet mess on her nipple.

"God" she muttered. Her fingers were frantically tangling themselves in my hair as I let my free hands trail down her stomach to the zipper of her jeans. Her breath caught in her throat when I unclasped the lone button and took my time sliding the zipper down.

She tightened her grip in my hair and pulled my mouth from her breast to her lips and forcefully thrust her tongue into my mouth. While she was distracted with playing war with my tongue I slipped my fingers into her jeans and knickers and came in contact with her wet heat.

Amanda pulled back and let out a loud gasp. Her fingernails dug into my scalp when I wiggled my finger a bit spreading her arousal around her lower lips. I let out a little chuckle when I heard her whimper before I gave in and gave her what she wanted.

It wasn't long before I felt her body quivering underneath mine and her inner muscles tightening around my fingers. She was breathing fast when she started to come down from her orgasm; I waited until her body had stopped shaking to pull my fingers from her.

I leaned back to look down at her; her breasts were rising and falling rapidly as she attempted to catch her breath. She had started to form a thin layer to sweat on her skin and I grinned as I admired the love bites that were bruising on her pale skin.

Her arms were wrapped tightly around my neck and her eyes were closed; I took this moment to lean down and place a soft kiss against her lips.

"I love you…" I said.

"Mmmmm…" she moaned as she pulled me down for another tender kiss.

We spent the next few minutes just kissing tenderly; I was about to suggest going to bed but Amanda had other ideas when she flipped me onto my back. She didn't waste any time reaching for the buttons on my jeans and pulling them down along with my black knickers. She gave me a sly grin before she made her way down my chest and stomach, on the side that wasn't near my tattoo, to my begging arousal.

I gripped the sheets on the bed till my knuckles were white; her breath against my center was absolute torture. And when I felt her lightly blow against it I thought I was going to explode right then and there.

"A-Amanda…" I begged. I tried to thrust my hips up but her firm grip on my thighs prevented me from doing that. Amanda just teased…she wouldn't give ME what I wanted; she was being relentless.

After what felt like forever I finally felt the cool touch of Amanda's lips between my legs. I instantly gripped my fingers in her hair but was careful not to pull. It felt so good; she was changing her pattern every time I got used to one of them. I was teetering on the edge but she wouldn't push me over just let.

I let go of her hair and lifted myself onto my elbows to look down at her. I could only see part of her face since her hair covered half of it; I reached forward and brushed it away. I wanted to see her eyes but they were closed; I couldn't concern myself with that fact since at that precise moment I reached my limit.

Amanda kept going until my quivering had stopped and I slumped against the mattress. "Shit," I muttered as I threw my arm over my eyes and tried to catch my breath. I could feel Amanda move from between my legs to the spot next to me. I got a little bit of satisfaction out of the fact that she was also pretty breathless.

"So…how much did they pay you?" she asked. I lifted my arm over my eyes, "What?" I turned and elevated my top part of my body on my elbow and rested the side of my face on my hand.

"The tattoo…how much did Alex and Thomas pay you?" she repeated; she had her eyes closed. I didn't answer right away; I instead took time to look over her body. She was topless and her breasts were fully exposed to the cool air of the room causing her rosy nipples to harden. She was still wearing her pants and knickers but her jeans were unbuttoned and hanging a little low on her waist.

"They didn't pay me," I finally answered. Amanda opened one eye and rolled it towards me, "You're kidding right?" she said. I furrowed my eyebrows in uncertainty, "No?" I replied, a little unsure of what she meant.

She scoffed before opening her other eye and sitting up, "You willingly got a tattoo?" she asked; she wasn't looking at me this time.

"Yeah…we all got similar tattoo," I explained. I watched her shake her head and let out a little chuckle.

"Is there something you want to say," I asked getting a little annoyed.

"Why?" she turned to face me and the expression she held was one of annoyance. The type of expression you give a kid when they do something stupid.

"What do you mean why? To remember Roth," I said even thought I didn't feel like I had to explain myself to her.

"There are other ways to do that than getting yourself permanently inked," she muttered before getting up and grabbing her shirt off the floor and tugging it over her head. I sat up; I was angry now.

"I'm sorry that my way of remembering him isn't to your liking," I snapped. I got up from the bed and went over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of sweats and a muscle shirt.

"Never have you ever given the indication that you'd ever be interested in a tattoo but here you come home with one on your ribs like it's no big deal," she argued. I pulled the muscle shirt over my head before turning to face her; she had her arms crossed and her leg pivoted to one side.

"Why does it bother you so much?" I asked. But I knew the answer before I asked. It had nothing to do with the way I remembered Roth…it had to do with one particular part of the tattoo.

"It doesn't make much sense to me…you'd get a fucking bow and arrow tattooed to your skin which may I remind you was a critical part of your endeavor on Yamatai but you refused to give any thought to going back to the island," she said, her voice slightly rising a bit.

"They are completely different," I growled.

"How…the bow is what you used to kill people and you have it inked into your skin. What? Are you afraid of going back and seeing the bodies you left behind using that bow," she snapped. I felt like I had been slapped in the face; I went dead silent and my heart literally lodged itself into my throat.

Flashbacks started to flood by mind; images of all the Solarii…of Grim, Alex, Roth…and…no…don't think of it Lara. I felt the tears coming and quickly pressed the flat of my palm hard against my eyes to stop the flow of the salty tears. Not a day goes by that I don't have nightmares of what happened on that island; I haven't gotten a good night sleep in eight months.

I felt the bile rising up my throat and rushed to the bathroom to deposit the vile vomit into the toilet. The familiar taste of guilt came rushing back into the pit of my stomach. I sat on the cool floor of my bathroom and rested my head against the side of the toilet.

My breaths came in short intervals; I could feel my hands shaking badly. The regret…the guilt that I had pushed down within the past eight months came back without a moment's notice; the wall I had built up around the buried guilt and regret broke down with just her simple words.

I jumped when I heard a knock on the bathroom door, "Lara," I heard Amanda's voice filled with concern. I clenched my fist…I couldn't help it but I was getting angry. I was livid…she had no right…what was the point of her coming home tonight. Did she honestly want to be there for me or was she hoping to get me at a weak moment?

I got up and pulled the door open and looked at her, "I think you should leave for the night," I said in a calm voice although I was screaming inside.

"Excuse me?" she asked; she had the audacity to look hurt.

"You have somewhere else to stay so I suggest you go and stay there," I clarified for her before walking pass her and out into the living room. I went into the kitchen and opened up the first aid drawer and grabbed the aspirin. I dumped two little pills in my palm before throwing them in my mouth and swallowing them dry. I slammed the bottle down onto the counter and leaned on my arms with my head down. The headache was pounding to the point that I could hear my heart beat beating in my head over the thoughts traveling around in it.

I rolled my shoulders after a few seconds and pushed myself off the counter; it was in that moment that Amanda walked out of the bedroom in a change of clothes. I watched her grab her shoes and jacket from the hallway and slowly put them on. She opened the front door but turned to look at me; we locked eyes for a few seconds before I turned away and headed back into the bedroom. I heard the door slam right as I walked into the room.

I was in the bedroom but I didn't know what to do; I felt everything flooding my mind; there was no way I was sleeping tonight. I was just standing there when I noticed my iPhone lying on the floor next to my forgotten jeans. I walked over to it and grabbed it; I scrolled to my voice mail and hit play on the message I wanted to hear. I heard the male voice speaking clearly about the idea that he had about the artifacts that I had found of Yamatai.

Amanda's words really hit home…and I wasn't ready to talk about Yamatai but sitting around at home for another eight months trying to hide away wasn't going to help. Maybe…just maybe the artifacts could be a step forward…a small step. It would at least get me out of the house and doing something that I used to enjoy.

Before I knew was I was doing I had already hit the call back button and had the phone pressed to my ear. "_Hello_," I heard a male voice answer.

"Hello…it's Lara Croft. I was calling back about your message on the documentary? It sounds interesting and I wanted to know more of the details."


	4. Chapter 4

"A bit fancy for a meet and greet don't you think?" Alex pointed out as we were ushered to our reserved table at a very high end restaurant in London.

"They want to make a documentary so they have to have money…" I said. The hostess led us to a more secluded area of the restaurant and sat us at a fancy round table that had the whole salad and soup silverware set up.

"Anyone can make a documentary…you just need a camera. To get the documentary noticed…that is when you need money," Alex explained.

"Why did I invite you again?" I asked as I pulled out my chair and took a seat. "Your guest will be right with you," the hostess told us before walking away. I couldn't help but roll my eyes when I watched Alex turn to glance a look at her ass as she retreated.

"You wanted moral support that's why," Alex replied after she was done starting.

The return phone call was fairly short since it was in the early morning and the man on the other end had been sleeping when I called him. He told me that he would like to meet me and go over everything over dinner; he also told me that he would call me at a more reasonable time with the details of where to meet.

I didn't get much sleep after the phone call; I basically just laid on the couch and stared at my ceiling going over what had happened only a few hours before. I still haven't told anyone about what happened between me and Amanda; as far as Alex was aware Amanda didn't come home again.

It's been three days now and I still haven't heard anything from her…not that I really want to. I know she has been to the house because I see the evidence of her shuffling around in the dressers for more clothes. The past few days I have been in a trance trying to figure out where my relationship started to go haywire…was it after I came back from the island or…was it going downhill before that and I just didn't notice?

"Oi…Croft…" Alex's voice broke through my thoughts. I pulled out of my trance and glanced up at her.

"Sorry…did you say something?" I asked.

Alex gave me a concerned look before answering me, "I asked how the tattoo has been healing?"

"A little irritating and a little scabbing but I've been putting on the ointment," I replied.

"Same here but it should be fine after a few weeks. That girl did a great job on yours…and she couldn't keep her hands off you," Alex said with a sly grin.

"Pardon? She was tattooing me…how the hell do you figure that?" I asked. A little blush started to form on my cheeks as I thought of the blonde tattoo artist; I still had her number…that same night I had programed it into my phone.

"Oh please…you naïve child. Her left hand would wander a few times and caress your skin," Alex chuckled.

"I'm not naïve," I replied. I was about to give Alex the finger but I noticed the hostess walking our way with a tall man behind her. "Here you go sir," the hostess said to the man before going back to her post. Alex and I stood up right away to greet the man, "Sorry about the wait," he said as he held out his hand to both of us, "got caught up on a phone call," he explained.

"It's alright," I replied.

"My name is Toru Nishimura and it a great pleasure to meet you Ms. Croft," the man introduced as he sat down. "Thank you…this is my guest Alex Walker," I told him.

"Nice to meet you," Alex said. "Pleasure," Mr. Nishimura replied. It was silent for a few seconds before the waiter came over. As Mr. Nishimura acquired about wine list I took a look at him. He was definitely business right down to the charismatic personality to the tailored suit. But he was slightly different…maybe it was it broad form. He was a lot taller and bigger than I expected; he wasn't big as in heavy but he had large shoulders and arms. His hair was cut short and clean, his face was shaven smooth and his posture was very proper. I got the feeling that he was very rarely out of his business zone and was always working.

"Is red wine alright for you guys?" Mr. Nishimura asked. "Yes," I answered. The waiter nodded before walking off to grab our drink.

Mr. Nishimura reached into his chest pocket of his jacket and grabbed his phone. He glanced at it briefly before placing it on the table beside his silverware set up.

"Well…I have to say I am very appreciative that you returned my phone call and showed interest in the documentary," he informed me. "It would be a great opportunity," he added.

"I'm interested but not convinced," I told him. I didn't want him getting ahead of himself; I still had a lot of questions that I wanted answered before I considered signing on for anything.

"Of course," he said with a grin. He was confident; there was no doubt about that. I could see that he wasn't worried about getting me to climb on board. The waiter came back and poured our wine and left the bottle on the table; during that time Mr. Nishimura's phone went off. He answered it and said a few words in Japanese before hanging up. I don't think he was aware that I was very well familiar in Japanese and understood what he had said to the person on the other line.

"We have another guest joining us and I think they'll be able to answer all the questions you have," he informed as he stood up.

Mr. Nishimura stood up and gestured to someone to come over. I was a little confused but my thoughts quickly vanished when I caught sight of her. She had her phone pressed to her ear and appeared to be having a heated conversation with someone. She must have seen Mr. Nishimura because she looked over at him and waved before making her way towards us.

I could feel the heat crawling up my neck to my cheeks. It didn't help when Alex nudged me, "Close the hanging jaw," she whispered. Without moving my line of vision I managed to punch Alex in the leg before reaching over and taking a large sip of my wine.

She was breathtaking…she had short black hair that reached to the top of her shoulders and angled in layers around her face. Her face was small and bright…didn't have a blemish on it. I had to force myself to look away before my mind tried to undress her since her choice of clothes left little to the imagination. Her green blouse was tight and form fitting as well as low-cut…very low cut. And her jeans…I'm surprised she was able to walk in them. She probably has to be cut out of them for them to come off. I smiled a little when I saw that she actually had navy green sneakers on…that I didn't expect but they did match the green shirt and the black jeans.

"Lara…this is the director and producer Samantha Nishimura," Mr. Nishimura introduced. Samantha hung up her phone and held out her hand.

"Oh my god…I am so excited to meet you," she started. I could feel the high spirited energy oozing off her. I was still a little in shock about the fact that I had just been ogling Mr. Nishimura's daughter but the more I looked between the two the more I could see the resemblance.

"Pleasure to meet you to Ms. Nishimura," I told her. "Please…call me Sam. I hate formality and my last name makes me feel like my mother," she said before giving me a wink. She let go of my hand and reached for Alex's. "You're tall…let me guess…6'2?"

Alex laughed, "Close…6'3"," she told her. Sam gave her a bright smile before taking a seat next to her father and refocusing her attention back to me. I couldn't help but get captivated by her eyes; they were brown…almost like an almond color but slightly darker.

"I've been dying to meet you…" Sam said to me. I couldn't help but blush a little, "Really?"

"Yeah…the artifacts that you've obtained have the museums practically jizzing everyplace-"

"Samantha!" Mr. Nishimura scowled at her. Sam glanced over at him and rolled her eyes.

"I know that the museums have been offering you loads of money to talk but…you've turned them away at every time. I find that interesting…plus when I first saw you on the news I thought you looked badass," Sam said. I was a bit overwhelmed with her explanation and "Badass" what's that supposed to mean?

"Um…thanks," I replied. Sam winked at me and gave me a vibrant smile before looking down at her menu.

"Samantha is going to be in charge of this whole project; I am the finance. Once the documentary finishes I will watch it along with a few others and then we will go through the airing process," Mr., Nishimura explained.

"What are the plans for this project?" I asked. Sam closed her menu and placed it to the side, "The plan is to let you talk about what you discovered. You found some really cool things but you really haven't been given credit for it nor have you been allowed to talk about them. I assume that you know about what the artifacts are and their importance?" Sam asked.

I nodded my head. "What I want to do it to have you explain the artifacts and what they were used for during that period; what their significance is. A lot of the artifacts you found were Japanese and are very cultural but are rare to hear about nowadays. So this is a way to educate the people…" Sam pointed out.

"So…we will only be talking about the artifacts?" I asked.

Sam was about to reply but the waiter choose that moment to interrupt for our orders. I got something light since my stomach wasn't feeling to well but I was surprised when Sam ordered a large rib eye with mash potatoes and rice as her sides. I was more impressed than surprised since girls her size seemed to refuse to order a proper meal when they are out. Amanda was one of those girls in the beginning of our relationship…

"Yes but…" Sam started to answer my question. My heart sank a little when she said but…I knew that there was another reason.

"…I want to do a little background on you…like your parents and why you followed in their footsteps," Sam finished.

It always comes back to the…wait…what? I furrowed my brows in confusion, "You want to do a history on me?" I clarified.

"Yeah. For the beginning of the documentary to let the people get a feel of the person who is going to going on and on about these old dusty artifacts," Sam joked a little. I let a small smile grace my lip. "And your parents are well known but you are not…you are known by association. I think it is time they meet Lara Croft."

I didn't say anything…I was on board about the artifacts but I was a little unsure about talking about my parents. It was a touchy subject for me for years since for the longest time I didn't believe much of what my father said.

"You don't have to decide on any of this right now…I mean think about it. And if you decide to go along then we can discuss more about what information you want to talk about and what location to film. Right now I'm just happy to meet you and to have you even listening to my idea," Sam reassured me. I was very drawn to her…she captured my attention right away and I wasn't sure why. I'm not sure if it's because of her high energy but still somewhat business personality or if it's because she is so…god I don't even know how to describe her.

"Are you in charge of this whole thing?" Alex asked Sam. Sam shrugged, "No…I am only in charge of the film production and the set up. He…" Sam gestured to her father, "is in charge off everything else."

"How long have you been filming…" I asked.

"I've been filming things since I was little but getting paid for it…I guess a few years. I got a job as a small cameraman when I was in college during my sophomore year," Sam explained.

"Where'd you go to college?"

"University College London…it wasn't much but I didn't get the best grades to really go anywhere else," she said.

"I almost went there…but at the last minute changed my mind to Cambridge," I told her.

"I could have met you sooner…" Sam stated. Alex chuckled, "That is unlikely…unless you spent every waking moment in the library," she said. I elbowed her in the ribs. Sam laughed, "I don't even think I knew where the library was," she confessed. "But I did know where all the parties were…" Sam grinned at me.

"Alright…" Mr. Nishimura said. After that we didn't talk much about anything else except finances. Mr. Nishimura went on about the funding of the documentary, the small percentage the museums were going to get and what my possible pay could be. I tried to pay attention to him but his daughter was making it very difficult. She had gotten bored of her father's talking right away and had begun to play with her phone. I assumed she was playing a game of some sort due to the occasional whoops and groans.

When the food came Sam tried to change the topic of the conversation but her father wouldn't allow the change…he kept going. I basically nodded and once in a while would add a few words.

"Of course this all isn't defendant; this is just a rough overview of everything. I'll have a contact written up for you to look over and it will give more detail of everything. And once you and Sam agree on how the documentary is going to play out then I'll have the final contact that you'd be able to sign," Mr. Nishimura said when dinner was coming to an end.

"That sounds good to me," I said. The waiter came over and dropped the check on the table which Mr. Nishimura grabbed right away.

"What do we owe you?" Alex asked.

"Nonsense…nothing at all," Mr. Nishimura replied. "But-" Alex was cut off by Mr. Nishimura's raised hand, "You were invited out by me…and I'll be paying."

"Best get used to it…he will never let you pay when you go out with him," Sam informed us. She had gotten up and stretched her arms. Her blouse rose up a little to expose the smooth tan skin of her stomach; I forced myself to look away.

It didn't take the waiter long to return and swipe the card. Once he was back we were all standing ready to leave. Sam took lead and headed towards the door.

When we were outside she turned to me, "Let me see your phone," she said. "What," I said unintelligently. "Your phone…so I can give you my number," she answered with that sweet smile.

I did as told without any thought. "There…I sent myself a text so I have your number too" she told me.

"Okay…thanks."

"We will be in touch with you guys shortly," Sam's father said.

"Sounds good," Alex said. At that moment a man dressed in a suit came walking up to Sam and her father, "Your car is ready, sir," the man said.

"Thank you," I said to them.

"Have a good night," Mr. Nishimura said before walking off. "Bye…I'll be in touch," Sam said as she waved her hand excitedly and followed her father. I watched the black car drive off until I couldn't see it anymore. I kept staring at the long gone car until I felt my phone vibrate in my hand; I looked down and chuckled.

It was a text from Sam…_it was great meeting u! . _

The text was cute with all the smiles but the funny part was that when Sam had put in her contact she had added a bunch of smiles and a dinosaur to her contact name.

"This is going to be a fun documentary," Alex said next to me.

"What?" I asked looking up from my phone. I didn't like the sly grin she was giving me.

"Nothing...but you're cute when you blush especially when it's every five minutes," she commented before starting off down the street towards the tube.

"Piss off I wasn't blushing," I denied but I could feel myself blushing as the words left my mouth.

I don't know about fun but this…project was certainly going to be interesting. I let out a sigh before stuffing my hands in my pocket and followed after Alex.


End file.
